Category: Makeup

I was browsing around Ulta.com, looking at Ecotools brushes and saw pictures of these brushes in the side bar. The color and the shape of the blush brush is what grabbed my attention. I did a little research, ok googling, and saw that these were by Samantha Chapman, one half of Pixiwoo. I don’t follow them religiously, so I had no idea that they were coming out with these. Since they are one of the best Youtube gurus, not because they are the most popular, but they do professional videos with a lot of great tips, and have exceptional skills, I couldn’t wait to buy these and try them out.

These are made by Paris Pesents Inc, the same company that makes Ecotools, and right now they are available at Ulta.com and in Ulta stores. The Real Techniques website will have them for sale in May.

The collection includes 3 full sets, and 7 individual brushes. The ferrules are color coded and made out of aluminum, right away they reminded me of Sephora’s I.T. brushes and the shape of them reminded of Armani’s brushes, just a little. 🙂

There are 3 collections, and 3 complete brush sets:

Your base/flawless:

The ferrules are gold.

The core collection brush set includes a detailer brush, pointed foundation brush, buffing brush, contour brush, and a panoramic case.

Travel set: it includes an essential foundation brush, multi-task brush, and a domed shadow brush. It also includes the panoramic case.

The brushes are made of ultra plush taklon bristles (100% cruelty free), and hand cut, which allows for precise application from dense coverage to a soft, delicate finish. I was able to get my hands on all of the brushes except the brow groomer, and the travel collection. The first thing I noticed was the packaging. I love the color coordinated aluminum ferrules, and that the name of the brush is stamped on it. It makes them look very sleek. They are light weight, not too long and not too short, so they fit comfortably in your hands. Most of them have a flat bottom so they can stand on their own. All of the brushes are very soft and dense. Even though I lost a few hairs in the buffing, stippling, kabuki, and shading brushes, I am impressed. The panoramic case is nice, but don’t expect to put any more brushes in it except for the ones included, or else it will get bulky. Also, the bands are very tight and it makes getting the brushes in and out, difficult.

I found the brush heads on the foundation and detail brush too small to work for their intended purpose. It would take a long time to cover my whole face with one of these brushes. Plus, I honestly prefer a stippling or buffer brush for foundation. When I took the detail brush out of the panormic case, I noticed that it was bent. It makes me wonder how durable these ferrules will be in the long run. I think the foundation brush would be good for concealer and the detail brush will be good for small blemishes or as a lip brush.

I also thought the crease brush was huge, the shader brush looks like a tapered MAC 217, but not as dense, and I am not sure how the pixel-point eyeliner brush is going to work. It seems like it will be difficult to work with and will create a fat line. The smudge brush is small, but is the right size for the job.

I used the angle brow brush to groom my brows, and it did a good job of setting them in place. Much better than the SK spoolie I use.

The angled foundation brush is nice, but I do find it a bit flimsy and the brush head is small. The angle makes it perfect for getting into tiny areas on the face.

The powder brush is nice. It is soft, but not as soft as the blush or contour brush. That was a bit disappointing, but it is still a nice brush overall.

So far, I love the stippling and blush brush. I love the shape and softness of the blush brush. It puts the color exactly where you need it, it is not too fat, and the color applied in one stroke, without any streaks or blotches. The stippling brush is soft, and dense, not as dense as a 130, but still has a nice feel to it. The Kabuki brush is soft, but I just haven’t figured out why I need it to open yet. Another contour brush? I’ll just have to check out the how to videos on the site.

The contour and buffing brush are also standouts. On the buffing brush, the packaging states that it is ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation. It is luxuriously soft and big enough to use all over the face, but small enough to get in the nooks and crannies. It can be used with liquids and powder products. It reminded me of theSigma F82. I did shed a few stray hairs.

I love the contour brush, it is like the baby blush brush as far as shape, but it is smaller, and fits into the contour of my cheeks perfectly.

To sum it all up.
There are three collections: base, eyes, and finish, with color coded ferrules, gold, purple, and pink.
The name of the brand and type of brush is stamped on them (NICE!). I found the brushes to be really soft and dense overall. There were a few standouts, the contour, buffing, and blush brush. One was slightly scratchy, a few of the brush heads are really small and some seem too large, and I’m concerned about the durability of the aluminum ferrules in a few of the smaller brushes. However, I still think these brushes are great, especially for beginners. I think I am in love with the blush and contour brush. The shape, size and density are perfect for what I need. *swoon*

I also think I know what my first giveaway is going to be ;-)!!!

Once I have used all of the brushes, I will provide the links for reviews of each brush and how they performed. Stay tuned!!!

So I was browsing around Specktra.net, and one of the members posted the promo pics of this collection from Allura Beauty. I am impressed, and this is coming from someone who previously ran from bronzer. I always thought they made my face look muddy. But I am definitely interested in the type of glow I could get from the Mineralize Skin Finishes and learning what to do with the Lustre Drops. I wonder how they would compare to NARS Illuminating Highlighter? I can’t wait to try is the Skin Sheen Leg Spray; I imagine they will impart a sexy bronze, sheen to the legs. Hopefully this collection will live up to expectations and we won’t look as orange as an Oompa Loompa.

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Today I got a call from my favorite Bobbi Brown Makeup Artist, Jamie, and she was excited to tell me about their new lipstick formulas that will be launching this month. So, I had to come and tell you guys about it. There will be 12 new shades that featuers a new gel based formula. They will retail for $22. Hopefully I’ll have some swatches for you next weekend.

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Do you have retired eyeshadow that promised you one thing, but just didn’t deliver? How about a shade that you thought you loved, but it lost that thrill. Well, it looks like Lorac has the answer for you. Yesterday on Facebook, Lorac fave us a sneak preview of one of their newest 3D products.

LORAC is in 3D this Spring with an amazing new product…3D LIQUID LUSTRE! This innovative, shimmering top coat can be worn alone or over eye shadow to instantly amp up your look! Premiering First of February!

What a great way to transform your eyeshadow. I can’t wait to try it, and you know I will definitely be posting a review! It will retail for $16 and will be available at: Lorac next week! You can also find it at Sephora, Ulta, and Beauty.com

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You know how the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and the second mouse gets the cheese. In the case of the Urban Decay NAKED palette, for waiting, you got a brush! Check it out:

So, for $4 more, you get a $26 brush. Yes, I’m hating on the new NAKED buyers. You guys already know I’m trying to figure out if it is worth spending $48 for another palette to get a $26 brush… Sigh.. if only I had waited.
Anyway, this is a great deal and a great palette. It took me awhile to start using it, but I haven’t put it down yet. Definitely get it when you can!

Q: What’s the color story for spring and how is Wonder Woman the perfect beauty icon to tell it?

A: For spring we have seen that one of the biggest outstanding trends is a very early, fresh ‘70s look. Think a shampoo commercial from 1972, or a Cheryl Tiegs or Farrah Fawcett type of girl. It was this whole idea of the “modern woman,” which is a minimalist approach that produces a maximum effect. It’s a very nude face with products that are used to sculpt, with hints of pop art colors and cool tones. And of course, Wonder Woman is the ultimate modern woman.

Q: As a makeup artist, surely Wonder Woman—one of the most famous (and beautiful) superheroes of all time—presents certain beauty connotations in your mind. What is her look all about?

A: Personally, I definitely go back to Lynda Carter, but Wonder Woman has many different incarnations! No matter what, it always stands out to me that she is a true natural beauty. She wears makeup, but the makeup never wears her.

Q: Mineralize Skinfinish features prominently in this collection. What is great about this product from your expert perspective?

A: Everyone is obsessed with this product! It operates like a powder and mimics the skin it lays on: If you put it on creamy skin it lends a creamy texture, apply it to matte and it creates a matte look. It’s basically your skin…but better! It also gets rid of blotchiness, redness and discoloration. It’s truly, for lack of a better phrase, “idiot proof.” The technology makes it possible for Skinfinish to be easy to apply and fall in all the right places without looking like you tried too hard.

Q: Each extra-large Mineralize Skinfinish compact offers both shimmer and matte finishes side-by-side. What is the value in that? Can you offer any application tips?

A: The fact that it’s dual-sided means you can create very dynamic looks: Use the matte product for shading and shaping, and the shiny section creates highlights. Together they work in unison so you achieve perfectly sculpted cheekbones, eyes, jawline, décolleté… you can actually use this product anywhere. It’s all about the application. For example, for matte use I would recommend our 116 cheek brush to sculpt under the cheekbone: just start beneath and brush up. The 227 looks like a giant eyeshadow brush and it’s fabulous to swipe on shimmer to create gorgeous highlights above the cheekbones. I also love 224 brush to sculpt the eye area and crease, and the 219, which looks like a fat crayon and which you can use with the matte side to emphasize the eye as well.

Q: This collection includes strong, rich eye and lip colors. What’s the best way to rock a bold look even if you’re not a superhero?

A: Focus on one feature. I love a rich lip, and an easy-to-wear technique is to concentrate the color near the center of your lips and fade as you get nearer to your lip line. That way you avoid a heavy outline and create a bright lip that’s still kissable, not threatening. For eyes, instead of creating a rainbow of different colors, stick with a rich shade applied near your lashline and softly blend out.

Q: There is a “makeover” element to this collection, as M·A·C’s Wonder Woman helps Plain Janes go from drab to fantastic. What’s the one product a woman should try to instantly liven up her look?

A: Every woman should try the colored mascara in this collection! It’s not only great in terms of offering this highly pigmented, fabulous colour, but the Opulash formula is amazing. It’s so versatile, you can put it on curled lashes and it doesn’t weigh them down, and the brush is nice and big, which makes for even, effortless product distribution. I would recommend choosing the shade you’re most drawn to, pair it with a matching eyeliner softly smudged against the lashline, and a nude face. That way the look isn’t too graphic and you get this great pop of color.

Q: What was your inspiration for this collection? Clearly, there’s a focus on Wonder Woman the comic book heroine, but when you were in development mode, were there any nods to the Lynda Carter incarnation?

A: First off, we’ve been obsessed with Wonder Woman for quite some time; she’s this character who was an amazing icon. So we took her most popular incarnations into consideration and gave her two distinct looks. One is more day-friendly, almost like a Wonder Woman off-duty version, the other is more kitsch and comic book. One thing we discovered was that over the years, she has shown up as all kinds of nationalities across the world, so she was a perfect match with our All Ages, All Races, All Sexes credo. We also designed the looks with all skin tones in mind. Ultimately, this collection is all about transformation.

Q: How did Wonder Woman’s Amazonian roots come into play?

A: She is truly the embodiment of female empowerment and girl power. The collection reflects that strength in both the shades and the over-the-top packaging.

Q: The M·A·C Wonder Woman collection features some serious super-sized packaging. What was the inspiration for the larger-scale Penultimate Eye Liner, Lipglass, Blush and Mineralize Skinfinish for this collection?

A: How could we not go there!? This collection, more than anything, had to be larger than life, iconic and deliver – just like Wonder Woman herself. The giant size of the products obviously makes a statement and they speak for themselves. I especially love the big compact – it’s a riot. It was quite the experience, going to Italy where we bake our Mineralize Skinfinish, explaining to them that we needed to create super-sized versions. We had to create larger tiles just to accommodate the baking process!

Q: So tell us, what is Wonder Woman up to these days?

A: Wonder Woman is very busy fighting the evils of her arch-enemy Medusa, making sure Medusa doesn’t turn the women of the world into Plain Janes. She uses the power of makeup to eliminate dullness and make women beautiful, which is the role our makeup artists play in real life. They use their skills and products and artistry to make any woman who feels like a Plain Jane look and feel ”wonder”ful.

Q: Wonder Woman recently got a well-publicized makeover, but the imagery in this campaign features her more traditional look. Is there a reason for that?

A: We wanted to go with the more universal, traditional look. We live in a time when people really want to honor icons – her look is both classic and modern.

Q: If you could choose any superpower, what would it be?

A: I’d like to be able to charm or persuade anyone at any time, in any place, and get anything I wanted from them. It reminds me of the character in the Patrick Süskind novel, Perfume, who is able to seduce people with fragrance as the ultimate aphrodisiac. That’s a pretty powerful ability! Hey, it could come in handy.

Q: Tell us about Wonder Woman’s color palette and the assortment of products in this collection. What, from your perspective, is notable here?

A: We’re especially proud of the colored mascaras, which are already creating a buzz around the M·A·C offices. They’re unique because the pigment is so strong, it really pops in a way that we’ve never been able to achieve before. We had to create these for Wonder Woman so she could transform herself – she can’t just wear plain black mascara! – and you could definitely say this pigment is as super-strength as it gets.

Q: How is M·A·C Wonder Woman on trend for spring?

A: As we create these collections, not only do we have to do the icon justice, but we have to make sure they reflect the trends. We ended up making the shadows in monochromatic blues and greens, which is seamless for the collection but also very now. The blush is sheer and buildable, and the Skinfinish compacts will lend any skin tone the kind of healthy glow that Wonder Woman gets from all that flying around outside.

Q: Love the strong nail polish colors. Red is always a classic, but do you think women will rock the navy blue?

A: She can wear a more incognito red by day, but by night she needs a superpowered navy.

Q: If you could choose any superpower, what would it be?

A: Oh that’s tough! I think it would have to be health-related actually. I would want to be able to cure everything!

Q: Wonder Woman is the most popular superheroine of all time, and M·A·C is the most beloved cosmetics line. What else do you two have in common?

A: What M·A·C and Wonder Woman both share is the idea of empowerment. She’s an iconic character and a brand unto herself: Wonder Woman is empowered to do the most magical, wonderful things to save the day. With M·A·C, our products empower women by allowing them to look great and feel better than they ever have in their lives.

Q: While anyone who’s a comics fan knows the Wonder Woman mythos by heart, not all of us know the origin of this collaboration. Can you tell us how it came together?

A: We’re always looking for unique, interesting, unexpected collaborations. Recently, there’s been a revived interest in comic books, but more importantly, it feels like this collection touches the zeitgeist of women being more powerful and influential than they ever have been before, politically, financially and culturally. It’s the right partnership at exactly the right time. We have a list of dream collaborations, and Wonder Woman was one that just happened to fall into place perfectly. Of course, it’s never quite that easy (laughs).

A: We decided to take a really fun direction that’s somewhat literal. Since Wonder Woman has this amazing strength, we decided that the products in the collection should be larger than anything we do; from the size of the compacts to the jumbo blush, this collection is literally larger than life! That was the attitude we took. We also decided that instead of assigning a model to express the look, because the genesis of this collection was a comic book character, we worked with an illustrator to develop a comic exclusively for the displayers and visuals.

Q: What was your inspiration for this collection? Clearly, there’s a focus on Wonder Woman the comic book heroine, but when you were in development mode, were there any nods to the Lynda Carter incarnation?

A: First off, we’ve been obsessed with Wonder Woman for quite some time; she’s this character who was an amazing icon. So we took her most popular incarnations into consideration and gave her two distinct looks. One is more day-friendly, almost like a Wonder Woman off-duty version, the other is more kitsch and comic book. One thing we discovered was that over the years, she has shown up as all kinds of nationalities across the world, so she was a perfect match with our All Ages, All Races, All Sexes credo. We also designed the looks with all skin tones in mind. Ultimately, this collection is all about transformation.

Q: How did Wonder Woman’s Amazonian roots come into play?

A: She is truly the embodiment of female empowerment and girl power. The collection reflects that strength in both the shades and the over-the-top packaging.

Q: The M·A·C Wonder Woman collection features some serious super-sized packaging. What was the inspiration for the larger-scale Penultimate Eye Liner, Lipglass, Blush and Mineralize Skinfinish for this collection?

A: How could we not go there!? This collection, more than anything, had to be larger than life, iconic and deliver – just like Wonder Woman herself. The giant size of the products obviously makes a statement and they speak for themselves. I especially love the big compact – it’s a riot. It was quite the experience, going to Italy where we bake larger than life! That was the attitude we took. We also decided that instead of assigning a model to express the look, because the genesis of this collection was a comic book character, we worked with an illustrator to develop a comic exclusively for the displayers and visuals.

Q: So tell us, what is Wonder Woman up to these days?

A: Wonder Woman is very busy fighting the evils of her arch-enemy Medusa, making sure Medusa doesn’t turn the women of the world into Plain Janes. She uses the power of makeup to eliminate dullness and make women beautiful, which is the role our makeup artists play in real life. They use their skills and products and artistry to make any woman who feels like a Plain Jane look and feel ”wonder”ful.

Q: Wonder Woman recently got a well-publicized makeover, but the imagery in this campaign features her more traditional look. Is there a reason for that?
A: We wanted to go with the more universal, traditional look. We live in a time when people really want to honor icons – her look is both classic and modern.

Q: If you could choose any superpower, what would it be?
A: I’d like to be able to charm or persuade anyone at any time, in any place, and get anything I wanted from them. It reminds me of the character in the Patrick Süskind novel, Perfume, who is able to seduce people with fragrance as the ultimate aphrodisiac. That’s a pretty powerful ability! Hey, it could come in handy.

U.S. Launch Date: January 13th, 2011 | International Launch Date: January 2011
Mineralize Foundation SPF 15 ($32.00 US)
Minerals are the foundation for all living things. The human body is made of approximately 60% water and skin is approximately 70% water. By fusing minerals and water, Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation is the synthesis of earthly essential elements in the form of a rich, luxurious solid cream compact with a liquid mineral infusion. This uniquely textured, medium buildable, foundation delivers immediate hydration while revitalizing the look of dull and dry skin. Used backstage during the Spring/Summer 2010 fashion shows of; BCBG, Carolina Herrera and Baby Phat, it is both a makeup artists dream and a real woman’s skin saving grace.
Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation features an innovative gel based system that provides extreme comfort and creaminess in application, making this formula appealing to all skins but especially normal to dry. The gel fuses the formula’s high water content (30.5%) with the polymers and coated pigments for the ultimate in silky smooth, yet long wearing (up to 8 hours), colour payoff. Because of the immediate moisturization benefits, Mineralize SPF 15 Foundation also helps to immediately reduce the appearance of pores and provides skin with a non-sticky, cooling break.
Additionally, a blend of lightweight oils creates a creamy, comfortable feeling on the skin. The innovative wax-free structure helps moisturize skin, while light diffusing optics help minimize the visibility of pores and imperfections for a flawless looking complexion
Available in: NC15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 37, 40, 42, 44, 45, 50, 55; NW15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 43, 45, 47, 50, 55.

This foundation launched in February of 2010, and has been permanently out of stock since the fall. I got a chance to use the foundation then, and really liked it. It looks like Studio Tech in the pan, but it is nothing like it. It has a creamy consistency but doesn’t look or feel heavy on. The finish is dewy and not as matte as the Studio Tech. I found the coverage to be light, and easily buildable to a heavier coverage. I wore this with MSF deep over it and the finish was nice and smooth, and it lasted all night. My pictures of my skin that night looked just as smooth as the promo pic. (Ok maybe not a smooth b/c of photoshop, but you get the idea :-)) I also didn’t have any adverse reactions to it. That’s a huge thumbs up for me and my acne prone skin. I would definitely recommend you try this one out in the store, the color can be hard to match. I even tried the Mineralize liquid, which looked heavy on, and this is nothing like it. Also, don’t let the oils in it scare you away, I have oily skin and I did not turn into an oil slick at the end of the night. I can’t give this a rating because it has been over a year since I used this, but definitely give this one a test drive in the store. I’ll update my review once I try this again.

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~Wonder Woman… all the world’s waiting for you…~

Hey Guys!! We finally have the first look at MAC’s latest collection featuring, Wonder Woman. This post is loaded with pics, but they are worth it. There are already complaints about the packaging, but, I love it. This collection is scheduled to be released in the U.S. Feb 10th, right around my Birthday! Perfect! Anyhoo! Check it out, what are your thoughts?

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I totally fell asleep behind the wheel yesterday and didn’t realize these came out online, and completely forgot my local Nordies wouldn’t be carrying it. I just checked online, and in the Mickey Contractor line, they are already sold out of Sur Powder blush, Mehr lipstick, and Saffron eyeshadow. Of course, the last two were my favorites, and must haves from the collection. But never fear, my MAC PRO store is carrying it and releasing it on Thursday. Hopefully they haven’t done any presales and sold out of it. Everything in Peacocky is in stock. Also, the Mickey Contractor foundations are not available. Good luck! Peacocky and Mickey Contractor.